White as Snow

This is my sister-in-law, Lizzie. As you can tell, she does not have a hard time making friends.

She went to Africa last month, and this picture made my day, and I'm pretty sure it made their lives.

Only a Mother Could Love . . .

I'm feeling kind of shallow and heartless this morning.

This guy found our doorstep last night around 6:30 pm. I tried to shew him a few times, but sure enough at 8 pm, 10 pm, and midnight he was still comfortably situated on our front porch. Pictures do not capture the appearance/scale of this pup too well. He is what appears to be a bad combination of a chihuahua trapped into a rottweilers body. How do I say this nicely . . . well, he is ugly. He looks normal chihauhua sized in these pics, but he is not at all.





I went to bed around 1 am figuring that he would make his way home, if he indeed has one, in the middle of night. I was relieved when I woke up at 7:00 this morning that he was gone.

After returning from my jog this morning, I came home to find the rott-uahua fast asleep on our porch. It pulled my heartstrings a little bit that this guy apparently is a stray and he wants us to take him in. "Of all the fish in the sea, he chose us" type thing. Then he stood up and put his huge, ugly chihuahua ears in the air and it totally killed the tender moment.

I know this sounds shallow, but just like in the dating scene, there has to be some sense of initial attraction or interest in the person. And if it's not there, it's not there. I have paced by my front door about 10 times this morning trying to have a change of heart, and hoping he will look cute to me. No such luck.


I called animal patrol and they said they will be by to get him. It has now been two hours and he is still chilling on my porch. Am I hero for calling the pound in hopes they will take him in and feed him? Perhaps someone will come in and think his unique look is cute? Or, am I the wicked, shallow lady who doesn't want an unattractive housemate?

I Heart Tina Fey

Shameless

Recently I was talking with a friend about how he pays his children a nickel for each piece of Halloween candy that they surrender from their stash, and a dime for any full size candy bars, and then he throws it away. Of course he does all of this to try and keep his kids healthy.

I really should be embarrassed about my thoughts/plotting that followed our conversation. I soon pondered how I would likely do the same thing with my future kids, minus the whole throwing away part. Instead, I would buy from their stash for a low price, and keep "mommy's secret stash" somewhere for when I needed a sweet fix. Genius if you ask me. I'm joking by the way. Kind of.

My thoughts then wandered to how I would never admit to my children that . . .

• The typical plastic jack-o-lantern head with a handle was never a sufficient companion for trick-or-treating. The pillowcase was always the better choice.
  
  
• I would go to the rich neighborhoods because big/expensive houses = big/expensive candy.
  
  
• I would not go to bed on Halloween night, until my stash was dumped out on my floor and strict inventory was taken to see what candy I had the most of that year. Dang Tootsie Rolls always won.
  
  
• In a somewhat OCD manner, I would line up all my candy by type and size, and then throw away any of the nasty mystery candies that were wrapped in those unmarked, generic orange and black wrappers.
  

A little help from my girls

I didn't have younger siblings, which might explain why I have always been so fond of my nieces. Something about being an aunt brings me so much joy. The girls all have funny little unique personalities, and they are always cracking me up.

The transition to Vegas has been somewhat of a huge adjustment, for me at least. However, please meet the little ones that have helped the process.

Taylor:

.

My sister Jen says she must have brought this on herself when she banned the color pink from Taylor's baby shower. Taylor seems to think that a little bit (or a lot, actually) of pink and bling makes everyone look better. She is the epitome of a girly girl.

I totally fear Jen's years ahead with Taylor as a teen, especially after seeing this picture of her sleeping on the couch with the face mask that SHE saved her money to buy and HAD to have.

Because Halloween is around the corner, you might guess that Taylor has always chosen princess this costume, fairy that costume, and wants to be Pocahontas this year.

Sydney:



I love this picture only because she looks so intense here , when really, she is the goofiest toe-headed child you have ever met. She still has one of those small person voices and I am sad for the day when she finally develops a big kid one and starts saying "blue" instead of "bwue". Sydney loves yellow and blue, and wanted to be Davey Jones from Pirates of the Carribean (yes, the octopus face man) last year for Halloween. This year she wants to be Captain Hook after watching "Hook" with Robin Williams at my house last month. Don't worry, Taylor was quick to show her disgust by saying, "Sydney! You always pick the boy costumes!!" as she shot her a crusty look. Jen has shot these down too.

Avery:


Oh, Miss Avery. While most baby girls have cute cooing noises, Avery has a wide range of grunts and other random loud noises that crack me up. She is definitely danger becasue she makes me baby hungry if I am around her too long. I am excited to be here for the next 4 years and watch this one grow.


The girls love their Uncle "Skittles" - couldn't quite say Niels when they first met him.

I guess I have always just assumed that I will have all girls too, because they are somewhat dominant in my family. But then again, Niels has mostly boys in his, so it will be interesting to see how that will all work out down the road.

I will need some SERIOUS boy training after playing hard with these girls.

She's big, she's black, and she's beautiful . . .

The movers bringing in her parts

This beauty arrived yesterday from Niels' mom and step-dad's house in Arizona. They recently purchased a newer piano to help someone out financially. Consequently, they decided to surprise Niels with the piano that he learned to play on growing up. Apparently, Niels was the whole reason a family friend gave his family this piano many years ago. Needless to say, he was very surpised, and he is one happy and thankful man.

Ironically enough, earlier this year we were fantasizing about bigger purchases we want to make later in life after the heaps of student loan debts start to diminish. One of Niels' first items was a grand piano. So, a HUGE thank you to Dave and Julie for accelerating his dream.

I am really excited to have what I feel is a family heriloom. I am especially eager to tell our future kids that they are learning on the piano their dad learned on. Very cool to me.

I don't play, but I wish I did everytime I walk by her. I guess I am content listening to Niels serenade me for now. =)

Apparently they don't count

Should I feel bad that my husband got mocked on his first day of lunch at dental school? Perhaps I should be sad like a parent is, when their kid gets picked on by the lunchroom bully.

I should have taken the hint last weekend . . .

Last weekend:
Susie: Did you eat all of my blueberry sorbet?
Niels: Well ya, I had a sweet tooth and we didn't have anything else to cure it.
Susie: Sure we do, we have Chips Ahoy, Nutter Butters, Oreos AND Grasshoppers.
Niels: 100 calorie packs don't count, babe.
Susie: What? Why? They are delicious.
Niels: Eh, they are good, but they still don't count.


2 days later . . . first day of dental school
Susie: How was lunch?
Niels: Great. That sandwich you made was really good, the guys I sat with were jealous.
Susie: No they weren't.
Niels: Yes they were. But, I did . . . never mind.
Susie: What?
Niels: Never mind.
Susie: Just tell me what you were going to say!
Niels: I got made fun of when I pulled out my 100 calorie pack with a bunch of guys.

---------------------------

I, I, I

I have refrained from playing the tag game for a long time, but Kristy (the girl who replaced my position in Utah) got me and now I feel obligated to participate as a necessity to keep our working relationship strong ;)

I have... roots and look like I am from West Valley Utah
I fear... any activity that has a high potential of getting hurt.
I always... have to wash all the dishes in the sink and wipe down the counters before I go to bed.
I feel... like I am finally starting to get a daily routine going again.
I hear... Niels downstairs fixing the bobber thing-a-majig on the toilet that broke off the first day we moved in.
I smell... the onions I just chopped for fresh pico de gallo.
I wish ... I rocked at volleyball so that I could go to pick up games with Niels.
I hate... mayo, ranch and people that don't follow through.
I wonder... where all the stuff is that we are missing from the move!?
I regret....not paying attention in some of my classes in college as much as I should have.
I love.... sushi, creating new salads with whatever I have on hand, trying new restaurants with Niels, anything gummy, playing with my nieces and nephews, diet coke, road trips, running to a great playlist on my iPod, spooning.
I am... getting used to working from home.
I think... I will freshen up my Spanish skills this year.
I know... that August was the most expensive month of my life so far.
I want... to get motivated to wake up early and work out as much as I used to.
I always.... steal food from Niels' plate. Always.
I am not .... a fan of Lord of the Rings.
I am like... uhhh . . I dunno on this one, any suggestions?
I believe.... everything happens for a reason and that we cross paths with people/friends/experiences at certain periods of our lives for a purpose.
I don't always... wash my hair everyday. (This doesn't mean I don't shower daily, btw.)
I am happy that... I work for a great company and that I live by my sister and my nieces.
I win... at finding excellent bargains.
I lose... my keys and at any video game that is 3-dimensional.
I never... have been camping.
I need... to get to the beach this year.
I listen... to Pandora.com everyday. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I command you to go try it out.
I am scared of... snakes.
I read... lots and lots of emails and National Geographic.

Only in Vegas. . .

Will the stranger that sold you his TV on Craig's List call you and tell you that because you are new in town he would like to invite you to a low-key party at his house to get to know some people. He assures you it won't be anything fancy . . . just a few kegs, good music and great people.

Fabulous Friends and Farewells

It was pretty hard to leave some great people in Utah. I am especially full of thanks for the two great going away parties that were thrown for us.

My boss Paul decided to throw together a bbq shindig at his house with all of the managers at the office. Most of the guests had never been to his house before and were likely expecting the average summer bbq. However, I have been in his home numerous times before and I know that there is no such thing as average if his wife is ever involved with the planning.




I walked into Paul's house and was surprised to find Kelsey Nixon cooking in the kitchen! Now, you might recognize Kelsey (the girl in black) if you ever watched "The Next Food Network Star". She has been dubbed the mini Martha Stewart and she catered the event. Pretty cool, right? Kristy, on the far right, replaced my position at the office. She is great.

Is it kosher that my going away party was as nice as our wedding? =) It was beautiful and I was genuinely touched by it all.







A few days later some of our best family friends, the Hofheins, had a surprise going away dinner for us. They posted about 50 of these neon signs all over their house that had great memories and funny sayings from the past 6 years that we have known them. I was doing fine emotionally about the whole move thing until I started reading all of these and began reminiscing. It was the first time I got a little misty eyed.



We are really excited to meet new friends here now, even though they will have pretty big shoes to fill.

New Diggs

After both living in one-story places that have shared walls with other people for 6 years, we are pretty stoked about moving here in 2 weeks.

Please come stay with us if you are ever in Vegas. Seriously.

I cook a mean breakfast, and Niels has a great nightly turn down service.

Really?

Blackmail

I really wanted to post this picture without any text, but I should probably explain.

I resisting reading Twilight for a very long time mainly becasue I get really annoyed when there is a public frenzy and people go overboardly nuts about a certain item ( e.g. Tickle Me Elmo, Furby, Harry Potter, Black Friday . . . you get my drift.)

I finally gave in after the world settled down 10 notches, and ended up reading Twilight while we were in Europe this spring. I wanted to see if it really was as addicting as everyone makes it out to be.

While Niels mocked me for reading such a lame and unrealistic love story between a human and a vampire, I just rebuttled by reminding him he was reading Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, an unrealistic silly sci-fi space novel. I hate sci-fi for the most part.

I offerred a propostion and told him that I would read his book if he would read mine, knowing he would have no interest. He didn't really give a solid answer, we never agreed on it, nor did we shake hands on it . . . nothing was set.

Look who found my lame and unrealistic vampire love story under my bed.  AND, guess who finished it in 3 days?

Walllllllllll - E

The jury is still out on this one.

Nightly Spending Confessions

My name is Susie Jensen, and I'm a Targetaholic. 

Niels recently decided that he wants to start keeping track of our daily spending by writing down what we buy everyday. He explains that by doing this we can have a better idea of where the majority of our money is going, and that we can create a budget accordingly.

Not that I am a big and frivolous spender by any means, but nonetheless I still dread the nightly question . . . "What did you buy today honey?" I don't loathe it because I think Niels will be angry, or because I have bought a bunch of useless garbage. Rather, I am embarrassed that 80% of my spending confessions involve Target. (The other 20% being Costco, naturally.)

Am I the only one who goes to Target whenever I am feeling ___________ ? (insert any emotion here.) 

It is the one place where I run in to get "a few things" and come out with a new outfit, shoes, and some decoration for the house. 

Do you remember being teased/teasing others in junior high school for wearing clothes from Target?  Let's just say that I am so thankful for the change of times, and for Target's amazing marketing and PR efforts that have made their clothes and everything else they sell socially acceptable in my adulthood. 

Just a side note, I think it's funny that anytime I see someone wearing a red shirt and khaki bottoms anywhere, I immediately associate them with the squad of  Target Team Members.

All and all, I am actually looking forward to working on a new budget with Niels. I just really hope we can agree on squeezing in a highly important monthly allocation to the red bulls eye.